Organic Onion Flakes

Our organic onion flakes are made from fresh raw onions that are peeled and finely chopped. During the drying process, moisture is evaporated from the onions. After evaporation, we obtain onion flakes. Onions, Allium cepa, herbaceous biennial plant in the amaryllis family "Amaryllidaceae" grown for its edible bulb. They add flavour to such dishes as stews, roasts, soups, and salads and are also served as a cooked vegetable.

Onions are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in our history, originating in central Asia from where it spread across entire world. Modern archeologist, botanist and historians are unable to determine exact time and place of their first cultivations (because this vegetable is perishable and its cultivation leaves little to no trace), however some written records enables us to paint a very interesting picture about its origins.

There are two schools of thoughts regarding the home of onion cultivation, and both look at the period 5,500 years ago in Asia. Some scientists believe that onion was first domesticated in central Asia and others in Middle East by Babylonian culture in Iran and West Pakistan. Those are of course based on ancient remnants of food cultivation that survived the tooth of time, but many believe that organized cultivation started much earlier, thousands of years before writing and sophisticated tools were created. Onions were grown in Ancient Egypt 5,500 years ago, in India and China 5,000 years ago, in Sumeria 4,500 years ago.

With organized onion cultivation starting around 3,500 BC, ancient civilizations that used them soon became really dependent on this great vegetable. Onions were easy to grow on any kind of soil, any type of weather ecosystem, and were easy to store, dry, and preserve during winters. The basic abilities of onion also proved to be very useful to Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindu and ancient Chinese civilizations who had problems to create large sources of food – onions prevented thirst, were great source of energy, had very useful medicinal properties, and could be easily dried and preserved for times when other perishable sources of food were scarce.

Because of all those benefits of onions, it was not strange to see that this vegetable quickly entered into religious ceremonies of several ancient civilizations. This was most apparent in Egypt, where onions were symbols of eternity, endless life and were part of burial ceremonies (especially during funerals of Pharaohs). Egyptians pained onions on the walls of their structures, pyramids, tombs, and were present in both ordinary meals, celebratory feasts and offerings to the gods. Onions were also important part of the famous Egyptian mummification process.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, Europe entered into Dark and Middle ages where main sources of food for entire population were beans, cabbage, and onions. During that time, onion was heavily used as both food and medicinal remedy, and was often more valuable than money. With the arrival or Renaissance and the new trade routes of the Golden Age of Sail, onions were carried to all four corners of the world, enabling European colonist and native people from newfound continents to grow this incredible vegetable on countless soil types. According to some records, onions were the first vegetable that was ever planted by the first colonists who landed in North America.

What is the difference between onion powder, onion granules, minced onions & onion flakes?

• Onion powder has finest texture and smallest granules of the four. It has a flour type of texture and dissolves very well.
• Onion granules is made the same was as onion powder but is ground much coarser. Consistency similar to sugar or salt.
• Minced onions are made as you would mince fresh onions but it has then been dehydrated. Most commonly used in recipes involving meat or vegetables where you want the texture of small onion pieces.
• Onion flakes are made as you would mince fresh onions but it has then been dehydrated. They are minced much thinner than minced onions.